Halo active aromatic sulfonamide compounds have enhanced biocidal properties and minimal side effects. They can be used to arrest or kill the growth of living organisms, particularly microorganisms, and may also be used as a fungicide or pesticide. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,296,841; 6,743,420; and 6,667,030, the use of Chloramine-T (the sodium salt of N-chloro-p-toluenesulfonamide) as an odor control agent is also described.
In use, the halo active aromatic sulfonamide compound is generally dissolved in a medium in which it is soluble. The medium can be a gaseous, solvent, solid formulation, or aqueous medium, and the sulfonamide compound becomes an integral part of the medium such that it cannot easily be separated from the medium. The resulting solution is brought into contact with another medium (which can again be a solid, solvent, water, or gas) affected by microorganisms. This contact is usually affected by spraying, washing, dipping, and/or mixing in such a manner as to contact the affected area, surface, or substrate with an aqueous formulation of the desired sulfonamide compound or a blended mixture of same. Because the sulfonamide compound cannot easily be separated from the medium, it is generally discarded after use. The opportunity to regenerate and/or reuse the sulfonamide compound is thus lost.
It would be desirable to provide a halo active aromatic sulfonamide compound which can be separated from the medium in which it is normally dissolved after it has performed its function. It would also be desirable if the halo active aromatic sulfonamide compound could be regenerated and/or reused.